District Website Provides School Funding Info

Rhinelander school district officials have developed a web page so residents concerned about school funding can keep up to date. Rural school districts are feeling a financial squeeze as many districts have fewer students and are getting less financial aid, but still required to follow mandates.

The legislature's budget-writing group, the Joint Finance Committee, is looking at school funding at this time.

Incoming Superintendent Kelli Jacobi says a recent community meeting on the subject was a success and they are moving forward.

"All that information is being put up on the website, the school funding formula, Rhinelander's funding situation. What we asked the legislators to help us with when we went to Madison..."

Jacobi says because the funding decisions are happening now, she's suggesting emails and phone calls to Northwoods legislators would be the best way relay your thoughts. She says the goal is a long-term strategy to help rural schools.

"After they have the budget issue solved for the next biennium solved, then we're hoping to get them looking at the funding formula. We know they're not going to work on it during this budget time this summer, but we hope to get them started on it following that..."

Jacobi says the funding formula change is a difficult conversation because often when you help one area, another gets cut. She says the legislature should guarantee more money for students in all districts.